Bendix Washers

[retromania]

Someone tell me more about the brand Bendix and I thought I knew them all. Was it sold more in one part of the US than in others? Who made it? Or was Bendix itself the manufacturer?

 

[akronman]

bendix

Use the Archive Search on this site, tons of Bendix info and pics

 

[easyspindry]

Bendix was the first automatic . . .

. . . They were workhorses. Remembering that housewives at that time were using wringer washers or scrub boards. Monday was washday where a week's worth of laundry was done in one day -- a tall job.

The Bendix freed housewives from the hard work of doing laundry because you could put the dirty clothes in the machine, turn a knob, and it would wash, rinse, and damp dry the clothes all by itself.

The first ones had no suspension, so they had to be bolted to the floor to keep them from walking when the cycle went into spin. I have a 1944 model that is still in use. You're welcome to come see it.

Also, Bendix was the first (and only successful) washer/dryer all in one.

They made their own equipment.

What part of South Carolina are you in?

Jerry Gay

 

[retromania]

Thanks for that history. The earliest wringer washer I ever heard of was a Maytag. My mother told horror stories about people that got hair, fingers, etc caught in the wringers. Where I grew up and in my mother's day they had wash women. She said after she and my dad married 1948 they had a laundry service. My older twin brothers came along in 1950 and they had a laundry service and a diaper service. Said they finally gave in a got a washing machine. Said it seemed frivilous at first, but she soon realized how clean and fast it got the clothes clean. It was a Hotpoint purchased at Duke Power Company. She said she dried many a diaper on a wooden rack over that floor furnace.

I remember back in the 1960's, friends of my parents had a washer/dryer combo in their laundry room. They didn't have it for long. I don't know why they got rid of it. The husband always liked the lastest thing of the day - and that combo washer/dryer was on the cutting edge. I remember I would stare at it!!! I couldn't believe it could wash and dry the clothes all in one machine.

 

[retromania]

I'm watching Bewitched and they have wonderful Frigidaire appliances in their kitchen!!!

 

[retromania]

Ilove this site. Very educational. I just saw an old photo of a Bendix home washing machine that came out in 1938!!!!! WOW!